Phillips Pump House Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s happenin’ at Phillips Pump House. I gotta be honest with you – it’s a pretty grim stretch ahead. We’re lookin’ at a long run of days where the surf just ain’t showin’ up.

Right from Sunday the 9th of August all the way through the end of the window, it’s the same old story: tiny, weak, and mostly messy. The water temp is sittin’ at 78°, which is *much warmer* than normal for this time of year – a solid few degrees above what you’d expect, so if you’re just after a warm float, that’s your highlight.

The first bit of real energy pops up late on Sunday the 16th of August. We see a jump to about 6ft swell from the south, but the period is a short 6 seconds – that’s windswell, not the good stuff. The combined energy is 200, which is moderate, but the wind is howlin’ from the SSW at 22 mph, blowin’ cross-shore. It’s gonna be lumpy and choppy. Not worth paddlin’ out.

Then on Monday the 17th of August, we get a 4ft south swell with a 7-second period. Combined energy is 140, again moderate. But the wind is a stiff 19 mph from the NNW, blowin’ cross-offshore, so it’ll be clean on the surface. That’s the best look we get, but the waves are still poor. It’s a breakwater setup and it’s inconsistent, so you’d be chasin’ scraps.

Things turn again on Wednesday the 19th of August. The swell drops to about 2ft, but the period stretches out to a nice long 12 seconds. That’s groundswell energy, and with a glassy afternoon from the NNW, it’ll be clean. The combined energy is 101 – weak, but there’s a tiny chance of a sneaky set. We finally get a score of 1 out of 10 here, which just says “surfable but very ordinary.”

From there it’s back to tiny, weak, and mostly onshore or choppy through to the end of the forecast on Monday the 24th of August. The long-period 12-second swells on the 23rd and 24th are only 0.7ft – not enough to do anythin’ with.

Honestly, the whole 16-day window is a dud. There’s no standout day, no moment where it all comes together. If you’re desperate, the glassy Wednesday afternoon on the 19th might give you a few knee-high rides, but that’s the best I can say. For a spot that’s already inconsistent, this blank run isn’t totally unusual.

Rusty.

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